The Ancient History of the Distinguished Surname

HODGES

The Saxon Chronicle , compiled by monks in the 10^th century, now reposes in the British Museum. It is a history of the Saxon settlement in England.

History researchers have examined reproductions of such ancient manuscripts as the Doomsday Book (1086), the Ragman Rolls (1291-1296), the Curia Regis Rolls , The Pipe Rolls , the Hearth Rolls , parish registers, baptismal, tax records. They found the first record of the name Hodges in Northumberland where they were seated from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings  in 1066 A.D.

Throughout the centuries your name, Hodge, occurred in many records, manuscripts and documents but not always with your exact spelling. The pre-1600 English form of Hodges was Hogeson and originated in Northumberland , located in the English and Scottish Border Ridings. From time to time the surname was spelt Hodge, Hodges, Hodgkins, Hudge, Hodgin, Hodgen and Hogges and these variations frequently occurred, even between father and son. Scribes and church officials frequently spelt the names phonetically. As a result the same person would be recorded differently on birth, baptismal, marriage and death certificates. The Hodges surname is the diminutive of Roger a slang name for a farm laborer. The name came to England as Rogier courtesy of the conquering Normans. The name can be traced back to Anglo Saxon origin.

The Saxon race give birth too many English surnames the least of which was the surname Hodges. The Saxons, invited into England by the ancient Britons of the 4^th century, were a fair skinned people their home was the Rhine valley. They were led by two brothers, General/Commanders Hengist and Horsa. The Saxons settled in the county Kent, in southern England. During the next four hundred years they forced the Ancient Britons back into Wales and Cornwall in the west and Cumberland to the north. The Angles occupied the eastern coast, the south folk in the Suffolk, and north folk in Norfolk. Under Saxon rule England prospered under a series of High Kings, the last of which was Harold.

In 1066, the Norman invasion from France occurred and their victory at the Battle of Hastings. In 1070, Duke William with an army of 40,000 wasted the northern counties, forcing many rebellious Norman nobles and Saxons to flee over the border into Scotland. The Saxons who remained in the south were not treated well under hostile Norman rule, and many also moved northward.

Nevertheless, this notable English family name, Hodges, emerged as an influential name in the county of Northumberland where they were recorded as a family of great antiquity seated with manor and estates in that shire. They were recorded as Lords of the manor and estate in Northumberland in 1120. They moved northward and settled at Peeblesshire  in Scotland where Richard Hodge held estates in the year 1267. The family acquired additional lands near Glasgow and Thomas Hodge was a merchant in that city in 1625. Meanwhile in England other branches flourished in the North Riding of Yorkshire and John Hodge settled in Norfolk. Notable amongst the family at that time was Hodge of Northumberland. The Hodges family can be genealogically linked with the following estates: Down House in Dorset County and Hemstead Park in Kent County.

From the 15^th to the 18^th century England was ravaged by plagues, famine and religious conflict. Protestantism, the newly found political fervor of Coromwellianism and democratic government, and the remnants of the Roman Church rejected all non-believers. The changing rule caused burning, hangings and banishments of all sects and creeds. Many families were freely “encouraged” to migrate to Ireland, or to the “colonies”. Some were rewarded with grants of lands, others were banished.

The families who migrated to Ireland became known as Adventurers for land in Ireland. Protestant settlers “undertook” to keep their faith, being granted lands previously owned by the Catholic Irish. There is no evidence that the family migrated to Ireland, but this does not preclude the possibility of their scattered migration to that country.

The New World offered better opportunities and some migrated voluntarily. Some left Ireland disillusioned with promises unfulfilled, but many left directly from their home territories. Some also moved to the European continent.

Members of the family name Hodges sailed aboard the huge armada of three masted sailing ships known as the “White Sails” which plied the stormy Atlantic. These overcrowded ships such as the Hector, The Dove and the Rambler, were pestilence ridden, sometimes thirty to forty percent of the passengers died during the voyage to the New World.

Amongst the first settlers in North America, which could be considered a kinsman of the surname Hodges, or a variable spelling of that name was  John Hodge who settled in Barbados in 1695; John Hodge who settled in Maine in 1623, John Hodge who settled in New Jersey in 1685; John Hodges who settled in Virginia in 1623; Benjamin Hodges who settled in Maryland in 1633; Elizabeth Hodges who settled in Virginia in 1623; Joe Hodges who settled in Virginia in 1635; Richard Hodges who settled in Georgia in 1732 with his wife Mary and three children.

From the port entry many settlers made their way west, joining the wagon trains to the prairies or to the west coast. During the American War of Independence, many loyalists made their way north to Canada about 1790, and became known as the United Empire Loyalists.

Contemporary notables of this surname, Hodges, include many distinguished contributors, Alexander Hodge, Royal Writer; Sir Julian Hodge; Sir John Hodge; Air Chief Marshall Sir Lewis Hodges; Captain Michael Hodges.

The most ancient grant for a Coat of Arms was :

The Crest was:

The ancient family Motto was distingusihed name was: